My project: 308 GTB group 4 rallycar

Dear all,

It's 17 years ago, when I stopped rallying in Denmark. Many things has happened since, family, a bunch of kids, business career etc. I'm getting older, so before too old, I will do some laidback rallying. As my hair is less now and my stomach looks more refined, historic rallying seems to be right for me.

After half a year of intensive investigation, I finally decided to begin my project. In late July, a car was found in California. I wired the funds and got a perfect carbed 1976 fibreglass donor. Container embedded for nearly two months, the car arrived in Copenhagen a week ago.

It was a great pleasure to get the car here, and it fulfill my expectations. My car is now in the garage, and we will start dismantling the car 100% within the next month. A lot of efforts, challenges and fun will be the mixture for the next 1-2 years.

The intention is to make a historic correct car, made according to the FIA group 4 homologation papers with wide wheel arches. The car will not be made as the group B Michelotto style with hinged front and rear lids.

We will begin with a total dismantling of the car. We have two initial tasks, which are 1) scrapping all unnecessary parts and 2) change the car to EU-style.

Below is a picture of my final goal, and another picture of how it looks today. The car will be white, but with colors representing sponsors. Perhaps white, black and gold, perhaps something else... we'll see !
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This thread is intended to be my diary with pictures and descriptions of progress. I might also use the thread as begging for advices

Have a nice evening !

 

This looks like a great project, I look forward to progress and pics.

 

To a glass car?

 

Awesome, simply awesome, project I wish you the best and look forward to your update's.

Gregg

 

i would buy a car that needs restoration or was wrecked before ruining a perfectly good GTB. but its your money and things like this make the remaining cars worth more.

 

As I wrote, my car is a donor, perfect for my project - it would cost a million to restore into mint conditions as the gearbox is broken, the interior is completely worn-out, the body has scratches all over, the front lid is bended etc. - plenty of issues which makes the car very expensive to restore to normal use, but for rallying purpose it's the perfect donor - and I didn't mention the price I gave for it

PS - it only looks good from a 10 metre distance

 

Yes it's a glass car. I know very well that the later Michelotto cars were build based upon steel bodies, with handmade fibre parts (the complete front- and rear ends). But creating a Michelotto replica would cost a fortune = being nearly impossible.

Therefore the fibreglass car is perfect for me, as the weight is less than the steel body. The FIA group 4 homologation papers created in 1976 was based upon the fibreglass car.

 

Where can you find the correct wheels?

 

I doubt that I can, so I have today ordered the Hawk replica wheels.
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www.hawkcars.co.uk
www.omicron.co.uk

 

As mentioned, the first step will be to dismantle the car completely and get rid of all superfluous parts and features (carpets, roof sealing, instruments, aircon, US-bumpers, catalyst, thermo mufflers, additional frame tubes and much more).

When the frame is pure like a virgin, the FIA homologated roll-cage have to be fitted directly to the frame... BUT I have to find it, or find something who can help creating these tubes in Ø36x2.5 mm 25 CD-4 steel.

Any Ideas on this open issue ?
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Then the bodywork has to be completed with EU-type indicators, EU-bumpers and most important, the group 4 wheel arches, which in my view makes the car into a real nasty thingy

Issue is to find those arches in fibre glass, or get them manufactured - Ideas are welcomed ?
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Easy stuff is to get the brake calipers and discs from AP Racing ...just pay and be happy

Calipers and discs have to be of certain models and sizes, and those are available in AP Racing's line of Classic Products.
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Then the single brake cylinder construction with servo, has to be replaced by dual-cylinder concept as well as a hydraulic handbrake - should not be a big issue, as AP Racing and others have plenty of stuff available
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This can be an issue - how to find these wheel hubs ??

Perhaps they are available from another car from the Fiat group or perhaps they can be machined..... ?
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Speaking of the roll cage, there's a guy in Holland who did amazing work with a tubular frame on a formula car project I was working on, word is that he used to weld the frames of Formula 1 cars back in the day. If you're interested, I can get you his address.
Have you considered making the fibre glass parts yourself? Wheel arches shouldn't be too difficult to do if you have all the measurements..

 

Thousands of details will be necessary to create for the body and interior, but I will document those when the progress is hot.

Engine and gearbox will be later, I don't perceive these areas as important right now. Engines can be made by several specialists, and the gearbox parts in correct homologated specifications seems to be available from Delta Vee Motorsports.

One issue will be to create and retrofit a dry-sump..... which is a must according to the FIA homologation (and naturally also a very thing).
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Yes please, let me have the address to the guy in Holland, however it shouldn't be a big problem with the roll-cage, as there are several companies which bends tubes for lunatic Swedish and Finnish crash rally drivers.

Considering the arches, it should not be a very big issue, other than getting the right measurements. I have a couple hundreds of pictures of pictures and hope that I can make a correct drawings of those.

What a project

 

Do you maybe mean www.remola.nl ? They make FIA homologated roll cages.

 

Thanks BIGODINO,

I have just wrote to Remola, let's see what they reply... I can always send the frame as post mail to Holland

 

Maybe, I simply know the guy was Dutch and did great work I'll ask around!

 

Why can't I insert smileys in my text?

 

You have to leave out the nose. So : ) (but without the space) and not

 

Thanks